a thousand Lullabies
by pianoplayer01
Summary: Katniss and Peeta both attend high school in district 12, so what would life be like if their story started there, with Peeta as the hero, and Katniss the invisible damsel in distress?
1. Chapter 1

Insignificance is some thing unimportant, some thing that is consequentially not the most necessary thing in the world, or the thing recognised as most important to the individual. However, there is just some thing about the way the wind can catch in a sail boats sails that makes you wonder why we ever criticise the wind, when it can make cotton look like milk flooding over the blue sky like some one tipped a glass over.

And then all the times we admire the yellow buttercups as they turn gold throughout the warmth of the day, when their cousins the dandelions, can tell the time, and grant a wish every time their seeds are whisked away on the tidings of another time.

Little things we take for granted every day, that are the foundation building blocks of the imaginaton every child possesses before they are grown up. A mind so empty of worries, and situations that seem dark, that their eyes open and see the world as this wonderful place filled with important things, no matter how eclectic the library, or eccentric the old ladies hair style, each tiny part of the scenery is crucial.

But what is it that stops us thinking like the child, as they gaze at the button moon, a twirling coin in the hands of a midnight fate? Like myself right now, as the mind begins to grow, it collects all sorts of new information, from new words, to learning to sew, to the knowledge of each note in a musical scale. Our eyes stop drinking in every single thing they can, and find themselves glued to the pages of books, where the images are printed in the ink of the words there.

Only, my eyes are not glued to the pages of my history book, they are not reading about the sickening rescue our Capitol claims to have made in order to keep us alive today. My eyes do not admire their costumes in the photographs, or envy how they have the easy life when we do all of their chores.

My eyes are gazing up from beneath my long lashes, to the back of Peeta Mellarks head. He sits in front of him, his elbow moving from time to time closer to the edge of his desk as he takes notes on what the teacher is writing. His concentration is just another slap in the face, another note to say "he will never love you". To him I am the insignificant sunlight streaming through the window, Im meant to be there, but it wouldnt kill him if I wasnt.

By the way, Im Katniss Everdeen, 16 year old resident and hunter situated in district 12. I know my talking is some thing that might seem weird, but its just one of those things that comes so naturally to me, talking like I know every thing. I just love to learn in general. Learning is some thing that might move me to a more pleasant place one day, maybe even the capitol. I want to end up in a comfortable house, plenty of food on the table and no need to move from before a cosy fire.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking - dream on, district 12. Thats what Im thinking too.

"Miss Everdeen?" My head snaps up to the stern smirk and folded arms of Miss Vincent, her glasses flash menacingly as the sun streams down, and heat up the blush on my cheeks, spreading it along my fore head and chin.

"Y-yes Miss Vincent, I'm sorry, I didnt hear what you said" I manage to stumble, her empty eyes peeling away the mask of an attentive pupil to show the guilt of the day dreamer.

"I said, could you read from where Mr Mellark finished off about the rebellion in 1948" Her eyes are expectant but revealing nothing, as I glance down at my closed books on the desk in front of me, gulping as my curled fingers tighten their grips around the spines.

"I'm sorry Miss Vincent, I- I cant do that" I keep my eyes level with my desk, as all of the eyes in the room turn to me, the usually invisible shadow at the centre of the room now put on a pedestal before all to see my shame.

"Indeed, so it would seem, and would you like to explain to the class why Miss Everdeen?" the Metal frames around her glasses remain ice cold, but her voice is catching fire by now.

"B-because I wasnt paying attention" My voice gives nothing away. I hear her smile as she smirks down her nose at me.

"At least you got some thing right young lady" she spoke venomously, gripping my wrist as she drags me to the front of the class room for my punishment. I dont look up from the floor boards once, I dont need to in order to know that he is looking at me.

I can feel his blue eyes burning in to my skin, my heart beating faster and faster as we pass his seat. Kill me now, at least that would be less embarassing than see the boy I have been crushing on since I was 5 years old see me punished in front of every one.

"We all know the punishment for daydreamers dont we class?" the class nods, unsure that their response is needed, as I stand meek and defenceless at the front of the class room, fear trailing up my arms and through each nerve in my body.

"Bring them back to earth." With that Miss Vincent slams her desk draw and returns to side as her skeletal hands push me over so that my back is flat.

I feel the metal rod slam in to my back once and the breath is knocked out of my body, but no one else in the class moves. How do they not do any thing against this revolting treatment bestowed upon me after many others?

My thoughts are interrupted as the rod smashes against my spine a second time. I hear a choked sob rip itself from my mouth after another three lashes, and the tears falling down my cheeks leave blotchy marks behind on my face. I know I look hideous when I cry, and he has a front row seat to see what I beast I am.

I allow my eyes to look up at him after the tenth lash, and his eyes are carefully trained on his exercise book, but his eyes dont show that he is reading, and his posture is frozen.

After 15 lashes, the bell sounds for the end of the last class of the day, and the teacher stops, taking the pole back in to ther hands and silently stowing it in her desk drawer.

"Let that be a lesson to you all" she growls, before her face becomes neutral again. "Pack your things away you are dismissed"

The sound of satchels being buckled, and books dumped is hasty, no one wants to stay in a room once blood is spilled. It only makes the silence roar even more though.

I wait till I am sure most of the students have cleared out, alongside the teacher before I dare try to stand up.

"Argh!" Pain shoots up my back to the tip of my skull and I moan in pain, collapsing in to a heap on the ground. I push up on my arms, trembling, ready to crawl back to my seat 6 chairs down.

As I make my first step, the pain shoots again and I cry out, curling in to a ball on the floor.

I sob as the blood trickles down my back, sticky from the deep wound and clinging to the material of my dress.

Eventually I manage to get back to my desk, and I slump on my seat, to tired to move just yet.

A kind hand on my shoulder makes me freeze, and I look up to see his warm oceanic eyes gazing down at me filled with sympathy. In his hand, alongside his own, is my brown leather satchel, and my eyes move from his hand to his face in panic.

"Please, let me help you" his voice is gentle and soft, his eyes pleading. My mouth gapes like a gold fishes momentarily before I manage to nod. _Great move Katniss_ my mind yells, _the first time he speaks to you and you act like a complete and utter statue!_

He smiles slightly, but there is worry present in his eyes. I cant quite assess why it is he cares, or why he is helping me, but I never look good luck in the eye and say no.

He helps me to my feet, and leans down, beckoning for me to place my arm over his shoulders, behind his neck, so I do, trying to cover up my blush, my eyes unable to leave his as they gaze in to mine with so much more force than gravity.

His arm comes up, so that he can place his arm around my waist to help me walk, but I cry out in pain, as his hand brushes over the lashings, and to my complete and utter horror tears begin streaming down my face as pulls away, his hand covered in my blood.

His eyes widen as he drops our satchels to the ground, and watches me not knowing what to do.

"I-I'm so s-sorry Peeta" I manage to whisper through my sobs. He doesnt run though, he only pulls me in to his arms unsurely and hugs me.

"Hey, you have nothing to be sorry for, its ok" he cooes, so affectionately as though he really cares. "I'm not gonna' hurt you, its gonna' be ok now."

As I sniffle, his arm returns to my back slowly, and with his help, I manage to get home where Prim is stood outside of the door waving happily as she stands up from milking her goat, Lady.

"Katniss, where have you been I was so worr-" her eyes sparkle as she catches sight of Peeta.

"Oh, I didnt realise you had company, I'll just leave you two alone" she giggles, running in to the house, her metal bucket carried in her tiny hands.

"Are you going to be ok?" he asks me, as I refuse to look up at him.

"I'll be fine" I whisper. "Thankyou for helping me"

"Its the least I could do" he whispers in return, which immediately grips my attention.

"Im sorry?" I reply, as he cheeks turn red.

"Nothing" he replies, as he picks my satchel from the ground and hands it to me.

"I'll see you tomorrow then" I reply as I begin to limp in to the house

"Katniss wait" he calls from behind me, so I freeze where I am, and acknowledge him by turning my head over my shoulder in his direction.

"Yes Peeta?" I reply, my heart racing as his name passes through my lips.

"Can I meet you tomorrow, we can walk to school together?"

I suppress the whoop of joy in my head. "Yeah, sure" I say, coughing half heartedly in order to reason with saying any thing more.

"Cool, I'll see you later then I guess" and then he turns on his heel and walks towards the square, where his parents will be waiting in the comfort of their home above the bakery that Prim loves so for the cakes decorated with icing in the windows.

"See you later" I murmur as the door swings shut behind me, and my mother comes rushing to my aid.


	2. Chapter 2

If there is one thing I have learned, it is that I am an individual person, who possesses the power to change my personality so easily. But, some times its not all that easy as it seems.

"Katniss?" Prim wanders in to the room as my greying seam eyes gaze back at me from the surface of the dust mirror on the wall.

"Yes little duck?" I tickled her and she squeals with laughter as she hugs me close to her. Its strange, how so suddenly the cogs start turning in my head for her well being, how quickly she can bring me back to laugh from the land of shadows.

"Theres some one at the door for you"

My heart starts thudding in my chest, and I tuck a stray piece of blonde hair behind her ear distractedly. "Who?" my voice comes out a little higher than I had hoped, and the vowels try to shape themself in to Peetas name against my will.

"Gale" she mumbles and I breathe a sigh of relief, brushing her shoulders and then losening my grip, picking up my satchel from the corner where it has been sleeping since yesterday evenings return. "See you later" I call over my shoulder, as I slide down the banister and grab my lunch of the kitchen work top, before padding over the soft carpets to the door, flinging it open.

Light streams in to my eyes and I am blinded, squinting like a shrew.

"Mornin' " he grins as he continues to throw stones at the tree in the front garden. "Why good morning kind sir" I roll my eyes and speak in my best capitol accent, as I chuckle back at him. He jumps down the stairs and turns back to me as I descend, reciting his Shakespeare.

My stomach already hurts from laughing and it hasnt been that long since me and my family were starving. How can I laugh like this already again so soon? This is me and my best friend Gale, practically family, its been that way since forever, for as long as I can remember.

As his speech comes to a close, I applaud him, whistling as he bows sweeping his hand and resting it around my waist, but I shrug off the contact, and smack his shoulder, and he mocks pain, to which I roll my eyes. He can be such a girl.

"Yeah right Kitty kat as though you could ever hurt me" I glare at him, to which he only holds his hands up, and I laugh. I might not be able to hurt him, but I scare him so easily just with a glance.

I laugh at him again before Im calm enough to speak. "Brilliant, you're so going to beat Eddie Hopkins in the drama performance today"

"Thanks, but I highly doubt that fact" Gale replies with a shrug.

"Gale its not that bad to be good at some thing"

Gale frowns again, "But whats so good about being a part of some thing pointless?" At this question, I can only bite my lip in thought before the words are flowing of their own accord, before I can glue them to the back of my mind and make them stay there.

"Peetas the son of the baker, but he loves to take part in sports, I dont see how that will help him make bread"

Gale glares at me, and throws a stone down at the path. It bounces high in to the air, and I watch it grow smaller as the light zooms in dying its grey complection black. "What does the bakers son have to do with this?" He demands, his voice a narrow growl, but it sounds worried, desperate and I cant figure out why. I brush it aside, gazing down intently at the crumpled paper lunch bag threaded in between my fingers.

"I - I -erm - nothing" I manage to choke out, my eyes wandering any where but his, as they are glued to my face and I wonder what he sees there. The awkward silence hints towards the fact that its probably not some thing he likes to place.

The silence is broken only by the gentle scuffing of shoes on the ground, the crunch of gravel as our feet meet it. Im never good at breaking silences, naturally, they are like obstructions to me too dangerous to even consider approaching. So I speed up, anxious to meet the ever closer school gates.

"Sooo... what do you have for lunch?" His voice is steady and normal. I breathe a sigh of relief, withholding the weak smile I have a feeling is behind my eyes. "Apple and banana sandwiches, but dont worry I can share" I nudge his arm with my elbow and he laughs.

The sound is forced, unnatural, but I dont focus on it, because Im pretending too so there is no real point in commenting. As we pass through the school gates, the sides become apparent.

The yard - a place that is silently coded and organised like a prison. My eyes wander around, brushing over each part: the rich girls to the Left, with the poorer girls and middle class nearby, the other side is the same except for the boys. I hate this system, you have to pretend you like people, when you'd much rather hang out with the friends who are different, because opposites always attract. Sighing I wave goodbye to Gale as he heads over to the "Hi-my-name-is" guys, their muscles practically ripping their shirts. "I'll see ya' later Kat, hunting or some thing" He mutters, before being absorbed in the boring world of motor veichles and watered down beer cans some kid found by the river.

I head in the direction of the lockers, the school buildings are always deserted, so I have a chance to spend a pleasant half hour reading beside my locker before heading to music class.

The door thuds behind me, and I indulge in the rich roaring of the echo, but am broken from my trance when the door slams again behind me. I sigh and peek over my shoulder, only to snap my attention back to the locker in front of me. Its Peeta! What do I do? Oh no, he was supposed to walk me to school today!

He stops beside me. But he doesnt say any thing. Time to do some thing I never do - break the silence.

"Hi Peeta" I suck in my breath and place my hand on the combination lock.

"Hi" I hear him reply, as my fingers turn the key to the different numbers. the lock twists open and the lockers security tightens as the dented blue door creaks to the side.

"Im sorry that I didnt wait up for you this morning, on the way to school" My hands brush across the books there, before taking one on the history of war and monarchy, and my Music book, both of which I stuff in to my satchel, abandoning my lunch in my locker, concealed behind the weak metal hinges.

"Its ok" he mumbles.

"But its not ok, I really wish I had walked with you today and Im sorry that I didnt"

I turn to him and thunder meets rain as our eyes meet. We both look away at the same time.

"Its fine, honest, I understand if you wanted to walk with Gale, Afterall he is your boy friend"

My eyes bug out of my head"Boyfriend? is that what people have been saying about us? he's just my friend, nothing more. Perhaps like a brother but no, I've never seen Gale in that way, ew gross"

Peeta watches me with an amused expression before bursting out laughing.

"I mean not that Gale isnt nice looking and all, but I eurgh!" I manage to say before turning on my heel and marching down the corridor. He keeps my pace perfectly.

"I understand Katniss, its just, you seem to have the same effect on all of us"

I pause "What effect?"

He blushes and look down.

"Never mind, here let me walk you to class" to which he offers me his arm and we walk through the echoing doors together.


	3. Chapter 3

Silence fills the corridors as we pass the people, and their mouths hang agape for a few seconds until we have passed by, then behind our backs I hear the whispering, though I dont need to hear it to know that a million rumours have already circulated thanks to the invention of the mobile phone, which made me hate all the more the factor that I didnt have one, because I had no idea what on earth what was being said.

I'd have to try and get Madge to tell me the information, or possibly Prim might know, all of the kids her age hear from their older siblings the latest gossip.

"So, erm, hows life?" Peeta shrugged awkwardly, not meeting my gaze as my eyes turned to look at him.

"Its ok, how are things for you?" My turn to let my eyes wander across the floor, any where but at him.

"Yeah things are ok for me too, few orders at the bakery so we dont have to make as much, but that also means we arent earning as many profits, which really isnt useful, because I need the money to save up for..." his eyes are on me again and hes blushing as I return his glance.

"To save up for what?" I question further.

"Oh nothing, Im just saving up, thought it might be useful one day" he's fiddling with his school bag strap, trying to pick away all the loose threads. He has badges fastened on to the front of his satchel, the kind you make from old bottle tops and safety pins.

"I like your badges" I find myself saying, though I cant see them all that closely, and they seem to have quite intricate detail, for some thing made so easily by the little children of the seam.

"Thanks" he grins, holding up his satchel to let me have a closer look. He points out the first one, "This one is one my brother gave me a few years ago."

There are three of them in total, one of them has a little sketch in water colours of the bakery, another has an equally as perfect sketch of the Mellark family, and the third doesnt seem to have a picture at all its so faded.

"And whats this one?" I ask, brushing my finger around the metal plate.

"A dandelion" he whispers softly, observing me for my reaction.

My mind clicks back to that day in town, my stomach empty, burning, and nothing in my hands to take home to my starving sister and my mother, who was empty every where else other than her stomach. She left us. And then Peeta. Brave enough to throw us that bread, though it earned him a beating. And then the following morning, when I saw that dandelion in the field, so much hope was in my heart, when I realised that we would be able to survive off the fat of the very land. And as I turned around with the yellow flower in my hands, a pair of eyes as beautiful and blue as the sky above had been watching me cautiously.

"Thats my favourite one" I reply, able to see now the little yellow spikes, that make up the dandelions tangled mane.

"Mine too" He whispers in return, as he slings the bag over his shoulder and we walk in to class.

There are many a desk in that class room, but as I settled in to my favourite seat, Peeta Mellark chose to sit next to me, his hair glinting in the sunlight pouring through the window.

I bite my tongue to stop from complimenting him, because Im not particularly good in that field.

"Its your turn" he says, a smile on his face, and his hands piling the books up on his desk in front of him, preparing for the tedious hour long class that awaits us.

"My turn to what?" confusion must be etched across my face, because he laughs musically and drums his fingers on his book, "to ask a question to me" he replies, a daring glint in his eyes.

I pause to think before I ask.

"Whats your favourite colour?"

His answer is immediate "Orange" In my head I see the awful bright orange of Effie Trinkets wig last year, it hurt my eyes and immediately made me stop dreaming of the rumoured delicous fruit that never came our way. I snicker. "What?" he laughs, a glimmer of hurt passing through his eyes like a schoal of fish.

"Its just so bright and it doesnt seem to match any thing" I retort, the question again obviously in my voice as I try to interpret his answer.

"I meant a gentle orange, like the sunset, that colour is beautiful, it lights up the whole world just for a fraction of a second, and the hope in it is some thing that always makes me feel safe, even when life isnt the best, I can look forward to the sunset at the window"

My eyes widen, the honesty behind his answer is one that is evident, and its sweet to know that he means the words that he is seemingly so talented with.

"Thats beautiful Peeta" I smile shyly, and he shrugs before directing my own question back at me.

"Green, like the forest," I sigh, knowing my answer will probably frighten him away, to know that I dream of the forest, though he doesnt know that I go there to hunt every day.

"Cool" He grins back, before turning to face the front of the class room as the bell rings.

And suddenly, I cant hear the rumours around us any more.


	4. Chapter 4

After class was over, I walked as quickly as I could to the door, slinging my satchel over one shoulder and speed walking over to Madge's math class. "Katniss, whats up with you?"

Madge giggled as I slid to a holt in front of her. "I need help!" I managed to babble. "Oh, well if you want help with your course work, Im sure miss mclauren will let us stay here for a while."

Before she could turn, I caught her elbow to stop her and gave her an awkward look, knowing the cards would be in her hands beyond this point.

"I need… erm… I…" Madge laughed at me and pulled the end of my braid. "You need what?" "To talk because… because" Madge nodded her head slowly in encouragement and then all of my words brewed up and bubbled over at once. "Because-I-think-I-might-be-in-love-with-Peeta-Mellark" I blushed beet root and looked away as Madge clapped her hands and squealed like my sister when you tickle her under her chin, but of course I wouldn't tickle Madge, that would be much too strange.

"Finally!" she yelled, holding her arms to the sky as though thanking the lord for rain over a dry rice field. "would you keep your voice down!" I hissed at her as two town kids passed by looking away when they saw I had caught their eye, and laughing cruelly down their toffee nosed faces.

"Its just I never thought you'd like any one Katniss, well not this way, other than Gale of course…" she blushed at his name and I laughed in revenge. "Madge, I have never and I mean Never seen Gale in that way, if you like him that's cool, I could always put a good word in for you" Madge cleared her throat and pointed to signal we should continue walking, and that was when I realised we had suddenly stopped in the middle of the emptying grounds.

"That can wait for another time, today is about you! Now come on, we'll go to your house and get some things, we'll go see Prim for a while and then we'll have a super girly sleep over, and we'll have facials and manicures, and eat those cupcakes my dad just finished making with that batch of strawberries you brought in the other day, which are delicious by the way, its been so difficult not to eat them with them just lying there calling to me! Oooh – and the latest edition of vintage of Panem just arrived in the mail and-"

"Madge?"

"Yeah?"

"You should really breathe between lectures you know?" Madge rolled her eyes as I smirked. "Sorry" she sighed sarcastically. "Its just I've been waiting for my best friend to realise she's a teenage girl and not a mother for five whole years now –" I looked down and blushed at what she said.

Five years ago, nearly six already, my dad was still alive, that long since the mine explosion killed him, leaving my mother a breathing carcass and my baby sister a little skeleton with cracked lips and frail purple eyelashes, where no number of blankets was enough to keep her fatless body from shaking in winter, and her fevers were too high in the spring.

Madge gasped and covered her mouth, bambi eyed, when she realised what exactly she had just said. "Katniss – I'm so sorry, I – I didn't mean-" "No" I smiled sadly, exhaling a breath I hadn't realised I was holding. "It doesn't matter, that was then, this is now, He'd want me to be who you want me to be. Its time for me, as I think you say to have a make over?" Madge giggled. "Ok then, look we're nearly at your house, theres Prim" she waved, the canvas before us showing a happy picture.

One I never thought possible when my father died, but one I had still fought for and gained with my mother and sister always on my mind.


	5. Chapter 5

"Katniss I'm so glad your home" Prim ran over to me and wrapped her skinny arms around my waist, her blonde hair all gathered round her head like a halo, as I stroked it behind her ears she smiled up at me, her eyes bright and twinkling, the blue in them reminding me of the blue in Peeta's.

"Actually we wont be here for long Prim, we're going to have a sleepover" Madge added smiling nervously at Prim, as even though she knows her so well, Madge is the shy girl at school, which doesn't help her when she tries to make friends, what with being the mayors daughter and all. "Is mother home?" I added.

Prim shook her head, the hair behind her ears falling in to her eyes as she gazed up at me. "No sorry Katniss, she's just gone in to the village to buy some ingredients for that stomach calmer antidote, there have been a bunch of townies coming in recently with bad tummy ache" she looked suddenly serious, forever the healer like our mother, with their matching blue eyes and blonde hair, a seam miracle.

"Prim, I've told you before you must not call any one by their stereo type its just rude, despite what Gale might say-" "Gale might say what?" boomed a voice from behind us, and Prim ran over to hug him too. Madges face was bright red as she glanced up at him before shyly returning her view to her manicured finger nails.

"We were just discussing what a bad example you are to the younger ones, weren't we Madge?" I smirked folding my arms over my chest as I watched Madge squirm uncomfortably beside me. "N-no, of of course…. No I would never … Katniss!" she groaned. She grabbed her bag from the floor, "Hey I thought we were having a sleepover?" My heart started thumping, I would never figure out these Peeta problems if Madge refused to help me.

"Oh" Madges eyes flashed, "and was there a particular reason, I cant seem to remember Kat?" my stomach dropped as I realised that Prim had already returned to the house probably to collect a bucket and continue milking Lady. I didn't realise she had gone and that Gale had been listening in to our conversation. He had suddenly become still and curious, his eyes flickering between me and Madge.

"I thought we were going hunting?" his expression seemed plainly confused, as he ran his fingers through the cropped black hair cut over his stone coloured eyes. "Well Madge was going to give me some advice on how… I mean … erm… bye Gale" I turned to walk away, but Madge remained where she was as Gales fingers caught around my wrist and dragged me back. "Oh no Kitty-Kat I want to hear all about these girl problems of yours, Im sure that I can help, right?" he winked at Madge and her blush deepened until I thought she was going to turn in to a lobster.

"Its private." I stated squinting in to the evening sunlight. "Since when do we keep secrets from one another?" he asked, his face a mask of nothing-ness like this morning, the worry, anger and loneliness present only in his voice and eyes as they searched mine. "Its not so much a secret, its just I need to keep some things to myself, and I don't do that too often." We both remained silent for a moment, his hand still clutching my wrist loosely. "Have I – Have I made you angry about some thing?" he questioned his eyes still searching.

"No its just-" " Katniss is just having boy troubles" my mouth gaped open in shock as I turned around to see Madge standing there an anxious expression on her face as she refused to look at me, knowing that she would see the fire she had just started. Gales eyes almost bugged out of his head when he heard that but he still burst in to a fit of laughter, doubling over with his hands on his knees.

"That's a good one Madge, Katniss, have emotions?" he clutched his sides from laughter. That hurt, that hurt a lot to not only have shy quiet Madge act like it was a miracle, but to have my closest best friend laugh at me when I was going through some thing so difficult. "Is it so strange to find out that I have emotions?" I managed to get past the urge to burst in to tears, if they acted like this then surely the out side world saw me in an even worse light, and then I stood no chance with Peeta. Even less of a chance than I stood now.

His laughter died in his throat when he heard me speaking. Slowly, ever so slowly, he rose from his doubled over position and stood straight again, towering over me and Madge like the bears in the forest might do. His expression was suddenly hopeful as he looked down at me. "No its not that, its just very unlike you to show some thing when you usually show no sign of weakness"

"Well Im sorry for not wanting to let people down by being selfish all the time" I snapped turning and heading towards the house, with Madge hot on my heels. But Gale ran and stood in front of me again.

"Please don't be mad at me Katniss, Im your best friend, Im here to help too" He sounded so injured like I'd told him I practically hated him when that clearly wasn't the case.

I sighed and smiled up at him. "Hey no worries, Im just having a difficult time right now, just getting used to some things, Im not always gonna' be a little kid you know, that awkward little teenager you used to know isn't gonna be here much longer"

He sighed heavily and waved goodbye as we continued in to the house but I could swear that I heard him whisper "yeah I know", but I just brushed it off, as the wooden door swung shut and Prim ran forward and threw my bag at me. I kissed her forehead and then went through the procedure of phone numbers on the fridge, a pile of loose change for the phone box in a jar in the kitchen and medicines being in mums medicine room. "Make sure you lock the door and answer to no one but mum" I called when the door had swung shut. "Yes Katniss whatever you say" she beamed at me through the window as she waved me and Madge away.

"So what now?" I asked turning to Madge. "Now the fun begins" she grinned as she dragged me in to the mayor's family house.


	6. Chapter 6

"So let me get this straight, to get Peeta to like me I have to flutter my eyelashes, hang out with town kids and dress like some self obsessed materialistic Barbie doll? Madge I want him to like me for me, if he likes me at all I dont want to be a piece in any ones games!" I ranted as I gripped her elbow, in an attempt to walk in a pair of shoes with heels the size of mountains.

"Katniss, its not materialistic to want to look nice, besides this is only the first step, you want to be a little taller as you're so tiny compared to him" my nails dug in to her arm as I tripped over my own ankle. "Its no use Madge, I don't mind being small, and besides its going to be even more difficult to talk to him if Im parading around on stilts worrying about breaking my neck" I pulled my feet from the shoes, and curled up with my chin resting on my knees. "I cant be pretty Madge, Im not like you, I cant do all this girly stuff"

"Oh being nice and kind isn't girly, haven't you seen what Peeta's like? He's always being gentlemanly and helping others" Madge pointed out as she placed the death trap killer heels back in her wardrobe before turning around to look at me with a sympathetic smile. "Peeta's so wonderful, its like he's every thing I want to be, and I don't want to change any thing," I find myself saying "He's perfect". Madge looks at me open mouthed, and I gulp, realising this is the first time I've ever said any thing like that to any one.

"Ok change of plan" she beams, as I groan and stand up from the bed. "We are going to give you enlightenment, not a make over, just make you stand out a little bit more," she started piling clothes in to my open arms. "But Madge why are we getting changed now?" she confused me some times, it was Friday we had the whole weekend before Monday came around again.

"Because, my friend," her eyes were twinkling with excitement " You are going to go out there and pay a visit to a certain blonde Mellark!" "NOW?" I squeaked. "NO!Madge there is no way I can do this, what will I say?" "Oh Katniss… if only you paid more attention in class" she taunted as she pushed me in to the bath room to get changed.

I could feel my heart sinking as we approached the bakery, the sun setting behind it lighting up all the windows. "Madge I cant do this" she sighed as she pushed my back forward, forbidding me to stop moving as we paraded through the deserted town square. "You've been saying that for the past three hours Katniss, start a new record already!" she panted, as it had taken her quite a lot of work to get me just half way from her house, and I wasn't prepared to do this without a fight.

"You've been ignoring him half your life, don't you think its about time you told him how you really feel? He has the right you know, and you never thought that he might like you!" one step closer, two, three… "Madge Im begging you, please don't make me do this, I get so nervous around him, my skin goes all clammy and I cant speak properly, I really don't want to mess up just being his friend – "" then you'll do this" Madge demands as she gives me one final shove up to the front door, its curtains fluttering in the evening breeze. "You will do this to build up that friendship if nothing more than that, wouldn't you rather have him as a friend than nothing at all?"

At points like this I start to believe one day, Madge will make some great lawyer or agony aunt in one of those magazines she loves. Shes right though. "I can do this…" I repeat over and over under my breath, as I push the door open and the bell alerts the workers softly that some one is here. I let my eyes roam over the room, its quite small really, for a merchant shop. The walls are a pale sunny yellow with menus and pictures gracing the walls in shiny fake gold frames, with lace curtains over the two windows. A large display case with hundreds of cakes and pastries is in the centre of the room, a till on a small desk next to it. The kitchen is visible behind it, and the scents fill every where making it smell like heaven.

"Hello, how may I help you today?" a kind voice speaks over the counter. I turn around and smile shyly up at him. "Hello Mr Mellark" "Hello Katniss, have you brought me any squirrels today? Or have you brought some rabbit?" I blush, as I realise I only have the few coins Madge gave me to get a cupcake or some thing, if things went terribly wrong so that I could just get the hell out of there.

"A-actually Mr Mellark, I was wondering if… if maybe…" his eyes twinkled merrily and he was practically bouncing on the pads of his feet. "yes?" he asked curiously. "If maybe… I could… seePeeta" the last two words came out as one and I looked around anxiously, scared that the peace keepers might have heard and come to arrest me for fraternising inappropriately with those of a better standard in this world. "Of course" his smile stretched so wide over his face now, he had possibly become one of the strangely masked people of the capitol. "Peeta!" he called through the back of the kitchen, where I could see a door leading in to their home.

I heard a muffled conversation as the door thudded softly shut, during which time I glanced in to the reflective glass of the door and checked my appearance, breathing a sigh of relief when I still saw me behind Madges creation. Some how she had managed to get me to wear one of her dresses, though it wasn't too bad, it was pale yellow like the bakery, and had a pattern of sunflowers covering it on another layer of fabric over the top of the opaque one, that floated gently, making me look delicate and girly which I have never been, that's always been Prim. She wanted to style my hair too, but I had drawn the line there, managing to remain in flat shoes after all that work in the death trap heels, and keeping my word when I said I would tell Gale all about Madges shrine if she so much as touched my braid.

I heard the muffled conversation getting louder, and so I turned hurriedly, just in time to see Peeta stumbling across the floor towards me as he ducked his father trying to ruffle his hair, his father watching us merrily from behind the door before closing it with a gentle click. I was left standing there with Peeta across from me, both of us looking any where but at the other at first.

"Hi" he managed to croak and I smiled softly as I nodded in acknowledgement. "My father said you wanted to see me?" I glanced up at him, but he was placing the cakes in different organised patterns on their trays with the metal tongues. Well, no one said this was going to be easy. "I was wondering , if you er, if you might, maybe want to possibly…" I gulped "Hang out with me this evening?" I looked up, to see that he had placed the plate back down and was looking up at me with an expression of shock and happiness. I decided I liked this look on him, his blue eyes glancing out from beneath loose strands of spun gold. "Really?" he beamed, his voice soft, like mine, scared to break this moment.

"Yes" I replied, in equally as chicken a tone. "Sure" he replied, as he pulled his apron over his head "I'll be back in a second" another muffled conversation later, me and Peeta were walking out of the bakery, him holding the door for me.

"Soooo…" he stretched his arms out, and I admired the scars upon them, he was so brave to live with his family, especially considering his violent mother. "What do you want to do?" "Well I wanted to show you a part of the forest, its my favourite place, I thought you might like it"

His eyes lit up as we approached the fence and slipped under the metal wiring, continuing down the grassy path, coated with knarled trees and flowers sticky with nectar from the honey bees. Summer was always beautiful here. "Whos turn is it for a question?" he asked, breaking the silence, other than the beating of our hearts and the out stretching silence. "Yours I think" I smiled looking back at him from the corner of my eye over my shoulder.

"Ok, where are we going?" his voice was filled with pride at the fact he had deciphered how to find out where we were going so quickly. I laughed and stuck my tongue out at him "Oh no that would ruin the surprise" I retorted. "My turn" he rolled his eyes and sprang forward a step or two to try and keep up with me. "What is your favourite plant?" "Sunflowers are my new favourites" he smiled crookedly, and I felt the breath catch in my throat as my dress covered in them swirled around me. Blushing we continued walking.

"So, next question…" I breathed a sigh of relief as he managed to so easily rid the conversation of all awkwardness, I had never been good at receiving or giving compliments. "What is your favourite thing to do?" such a straight forward question, so many answers, which one to give.

"I like to write music" I found myself opening up to him. "Is that what you want to be, a musician?" he asked his eyes trained on my face, the beauty of the world in those eyes. "More than any thing" I tell him, finding it so easy to just explain myself to him, knowing I have loved him nearly all of my life. "But its too difficult to get any where in that industry and I have no where near enough reputation to make it any way" I shrugged my shoulders. "Hey" he smiled softly, his hand brushing mine causing me to slow down and my skin to tickle pleasantly. "nothing is impossible if you work hard enough".

"What are your songs about?" he asked. "I – I – " this new form of hypnotism would catch on so well I decided. "Not just yet" I turned from him, his face hurt that I wouldn't tell him some thing so simple. "ok" he whispered. "We're almost there" with this I sped up and suddenly the trees parted and we came out in to a clearing, a beautiful lake with a small wooden hut by its side. Peetas face broke out in to the most wonderful smile.

I realised then, that my father would have loved him like a son, perhaps not as much as I love him, but maybe close. And It was a punch in the gut that they would never meet. But here, in me and my fathers favourite place in the world, where we brought no one, I realised without my father, Peeta was the only one I would ever want to share it with.

I watched him turning round as he walked taking in every thing, and gathering up my courage I took his hand in between mine and said "this is our place now".


End file.
